Use ‘Latter-day Saints’ not ‘Mormon,’ leader says
Expert: Getting public to change will be difficult
SALT LAKE CITY – The faith has the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, recently made a documentary about its members called “Meet the Mormons” and uses “Mormon” in its official website addresses.
But on Thursday, Mormon church President Russell M. Nelson said he wants people to stop using “Mormon,” or “LDS” as substitutes for the full name of the religion: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Nelson said in a statement that the “Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name he has revealed for his church.”
The full name was given by revelation from God to founder Joseph Smith in 1838, according to the faith’s beliefs.
The faith’s presidents are considered prophets who lead the church through revelations from God. Nelson, 93, ascended to church president in January when the previous president died.
An updated style guide posted by the faith suggests using “the Church,” “Church of Jesus Christ” or “restored Church of Jesus Christ” when a shortened reference is needed.
For church members, it requests using “Latter-day Saints” or “members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints.”
The term “Mormonism” should no longer be used either to refer to the faith’s doctrine, culture and lifestyle, the style guide said.
The church says it will update websites and materials in the coming months to reflect the guidance.
The terms “Mormon,” “Mormonism” and “LDS” have been frequently used for decades by the religion and by both members and nonmembers to refer to the Utah-based faith that counts 16 million members worldwide.
The church has always requested
Brady Mccombs
use of the full name, but accepted the use of Mormon and LDS as short-hand.
The church ran a series of ads starting in 2010 under the theme, “I’m a Mormon” to dispel stereotypes by telling the stories of individual Mormons. The campaign included TV ads, billboards and ads on buses.
It will be an “extremely difficult change” because the terms are engrained among members, journalists, academics and observers, said Patrick Mason, a professor of religion at Claremont Graduate University in California who is the chairman of Mormon Studies at the college. He recently published a book titled “What is Mormonism?”
Mason said he expects church members will do their best to conform but predicted outsiders will continue to use Mormon and Mormonsim “both out of habit and ease, since the formal name of the church is so long.”
Rebranding a business or large institution is a difficult task that usually costs millions of dollars and often takes generations to take hold, said David Margulies, president of a Dallas public relations firm.
The term “Mormon” is engrained in American culture and has a lot of good equity that the faith would be losing by shifting away from using it, he said.